- What is home networking?
- What are the benefits of
home networking?
- Is it available in
my neighborhood?
- Can’t I do
it myself with equipment from an electronics store?
- What types of home
networking solutions do you have?
- How much does it
cost?
- How far will my wireless
signal reach?
- How secure are wireless
networks?
- Is networking available
for my Mac?
- Will networking slow down
my Internet connection?
- Can I network older PCs
with different operating systems?
- What is a firewall?
- What do I need to build
a home network?
- What is a router?
- Should I choose a wired
or wireless solution?
- What cables are necessary
for my wired solution?
- What is an adapter?
- How many computers will
the router support?
1. What is home networking?
Home Networking allows multiple computers in your home to
share your Internet connection at the same time through a
common wired or wireless technology.
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2. What are the benefits
of home networking?
Convenience: Our technicians
will completely install and configure your home network
(with the exception of file and print sharing). Technical
support is available 24 x 7 to answer any questions.
Speed: Share the speed of a single
connection. No more waiting for your turn to use the Internet,
now everyone can have Internet access at the same time.
Cost Savings: Pay only for a single
connection, not multiple access fees for each computer.
The cost to network your computers is only a few dollars
a month with full technical support. And when you purchase
Internet plus digital video or telephone services from SureWest
Broadband Residential Services, you save even more!
Security: Protect your computers with
built-in features that help guard your PCs from dangerous
Internet hackers.
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3. Is it available in my
neighborhood?
SureWest’s home networking is available in all areas
wherever we provide our bundled TV, Internet and local telephone
services (currently areas around Natomas, Carmichael and Arden
Park). To verify service availability, please call our Customer
Care Department at 1.888.946.3477.
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4. Can’t I do it myself
with equipment from an electronics store?
SureWest Broadband offers the advantage of convenience, support,
value and more. Our product specialists will recommend a home
network setup that’s best for your usage, speed and
geography. Our technicians will complete the installation
and configuration to make sure your home network is up and
running quickly and smoothly. Technical support is available
24 x 7, be it home networking or
Internet connection related.
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5. What types of home networking
solutions do you have?
SureWest Broadband offers both wired and wireless home networking
options. There are several differences between wired
and wireless networks.
A wired network uses wires to
transmit data using a longtime networking standard called
Ethernet. Ethernet home networks are one of the fastest
available. However, if your home is not pre-wired, your
SureWest Broadband technician will install cabling from
each of your computers to the home networking router or
central connection point. If you will be using your network
to handle graphic intensive applications, have stationary
desktop PCs, and don't mind extra wiring in your home, wired
networking would work best for you.
A wireless network uses technology
similar to that of a cordless phone where information is
transmitted through the air via wireless radio signals.
This eliminates the need for wires to be installed in the
home to connect the various devices to the network. Wireless
technology allows laptop network users greater freedom of
movement throughout the home. If you want to avoid having
to wire your home and would like the freedom to move about
your home with a laptop, wireless home networking would
be your ideal choice.
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6. How much does it cost?
Home networking from SureWest Broadband is only $7.50 per
month, in addition to your Internet service fee. Please call
SureWest Broadband at 1.888.946.3477 for further pricing and
information.
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7. How far will my wireless
network reach?
Generally, wireless networking equipment has a range of up
to 300 feet indoors and 1500 feet outdoors. It will even penetrate
most walls so you can have devices in different rooms and
different floors while staying connected to the network. This
means you can take wireless-equipped laptops almost anywhere
in your home. The wireless router will typically go through
two to three walls before you lose connectivity. If you have
a large home, or a home with thick or dense walls, it is suggested
that the wireless router be placed as high as possible and
as much towards the center of the house as possible. If you
want access outside, it is suggested that you place the wireless
router near a window. Also, try to keep the wireless router
away from any large metal objects, as these will hinder its
distance.
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8. How secure are wireless
networks?
There are many things you can do to secure your home network.
All wireless equipment installed by SureWest Broadband is
equipped with several built-in security features. Our installer
will enable these security features (like SSID and WEP encryption)
and implement passwords to ensure continued security. Users
may also add additional layers of security by installing 3rd
party firewall software, available at computer retail outlets.
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9. Is networking available
for my Mac?
Sorry. At this time SureWest Broadband does not offer support home networking
for Macintosh Computers.
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10. Will networking slow
down my Internet connection?
For typical computing tasks, none of your PCs should experience
a noticeable slowdown in speed with either a wired or a wireless
home network. Wireless 802.11g equipment has transmit-rates
of up to 54 Mbps which is 5 times greater than 802.11b. This
should be more than enough to handle common tasks like e-mail,
web surfing, file sharing and downloading music.
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11. Can I network older
PCs with different operating systems?
Yes! Home networking is designed to connect various computer
makes, models and operating systems so they work together.
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12. What is a firewall?
A firewall is a security scheme, allowing for safe communications
to and from the Internet. SureWest Broadband has built a firewall
into our routers that will monitor and restrict unauthorized
users and hackers from gaining access to your home PCs.
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13. What do I need to build
a home network?
SureWest Broadband will install the router, network adapters
and any cabling required for your network.
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14. What is a router?
A router is the central connection device of your home network.
This device routes or directs the information
in your network to the proper destination. The router is the
brains of your home network and allows you to share your high-speed
Internet service between all the PCs in your home and also
protects your home network from Internet attacks.
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15. Should I choose a wired
or wireless solution?
If your computers are all in the same room, a wired router
might be best. If your computers are in different rooms or
if you have a laptop and wish to roam about, then a wireless
router might be best.
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16. What cables are necessary
for a wired solution?
The cables used in a network are called "Category 5E
cables". The connectors look much like a phone jack connector
except slightly larger.
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17. What is an adapter?
An adapter is a device that each PC needs in order to be part
of your home network. Each adapter connects via either a wired
or wireless connection to the Internet-sharing device (also
known as a router). There are three types of adapters for
both wireless and wired home networks. The type of adapter
you need depends on the type of PC you have –alternatives
are Network Interface Cards (NICs), USB Adapters or PCMCIA
Cards (for laptops). Our technicians have the knowledge and
experience required to select the best adapter for your needs.
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18. How many computers will
the router support?
Both the wireless and wired router will support many PCs.
At this time, SureWest’s home networking will support
only up to four computers in your home.
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